JCVD
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
Writer: Frédéric Benudis, Mabrouk El Mechri and Christophe Turpin
2008
I am not a huge Jean-Claude Van Damme fan so I can honestly say this review is not biased. Unlike My Name is Bruce, JCVD is not a comical caricature of Jean-Claude the actor. It is an honest portrait of Jean-Claude the person, with all his faults laid out for everyone to see. Yes, it is still a film and still has a story and plot but there is an authentic quality to it, drawing you in and making you connect with Jean-Claude, the real person and not a character. Near the end of the film he delivers a direct to camera, completely improvised monologue outlining what it is like to be him – with all the expectations, downfalls, disappointments, high and low points that have shaped his life. It is an excellent monologue, and Jean-Claude lays bare his soul for us thereby taking the understanding and connection between actor and audience to a whole new level. JCVD is a great film, and the direction, visual style and editing are unique and inventive. I would say this is a must see for all.
